


Dream On

by TheLostWeasley



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Not Captain America: The Winter Soldier Compliant, Tony Stark Lives, dream-sharing, professor bucky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:40:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29124300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLostWeasley/pseuds/TheLostWeasley
Summary: After the second snap, when everyone comes back, they start dream-sharing and nobody knows why.Bucky wakes up on beach, confused and wondering where the hell he is.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Comments: 18
Kudos: 168
Collections: Winteriron Winter Stockings 2020





	Dream On

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [snarkymuch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarkymuch/pseuds/snarkymuch) in the [winteriron_winter_stockings_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/winteriron_winter_stockings_2020) collection. 



> I hope everyone enjoys! I had so much fun writing this.

The first time it happened, Bucky really did think it was just a normal dream. 

What else could it have been? He went to bed, woke up somewhere else, and then woke up in his bedroom.

He woke up on a beach, the setting sun warm on his face. There was a house— _ mansion— _ in the distance to his left, and a man standing in the shallowness of the ocean. He was facing the water, but Bucky wasn’t sure if he was just enjoying the view or if he was searching for answers in the slow roll of the waves crashing against the man’s feet. 

Bucky stood up, dusting the sand from his shorts. He made his way over to the man, his feet sliding in the warm, grainy sand. The man wasn’t far from where he had sat, just a few dozen feet. 

The man turned his head, a pair of sunglasses perched on his nose, a look of confusion on his face, and then a smile appeared on his face when Bucky stopped next to him. 

“Huh, never thought this would happen,” the man spoke. 

“What do you mean?” 

The confusion returned. “You don’t know yet?” 

“Uh, no?” 

“I guess you’ll find out soon then. I’m Tony.” 

“Bucky,” he offered. 

“Is that your real name?” 

He sighed. “No, it’s a nickname my sister gave me. It’s James.” 

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Bucky.” 

At the time, he thought he’d never see Tony again. 

“Um, yeah, it was good to meet you too.” 

Tony looked back to the ocean. “I’ll see you next time.” 

Before he could say anything, he woke up in his room. He was tangled in his sheets, the sun shining through the curtains of the window. He picked his phone up from the nightstand, the clock telling him he needed to get ready for work. 

*****

The dreams didn’t stop. 

They continued every night when he would finally fall asleep. 

The second time it happened, he just looked around him, noticing more details he missed the first time. 

He always woke up in the same place, sitting in the sand on the same beach. Tony standing at the water, in the same position. His hands were always in his pockets, his arms covered by a long, thin white Henley.

The third time it happened, he walked away from the beach, towards where he assumed the road was, but he never reached the road. He always woke up before he could. 

One time, he tried walking to the right, where he could see houses in the far off distance. Again, he woke up before he could really get anywhere, just like the first five times. 

After a week of trying to get  _ away  _ from the beach, away from Tony, he finally went back to him. 

He had a smirk on his lips. “Figure it out yet?” 

“No. What the fuck is going on? And why won’t you tell me?” He was frustrated. 

This wasn’t normal. 

Tony shrugged. “Because I can’t. I only know what I did and what it might mean for the world. I didn’t think it would actually happen.” 

He let out a frustrated noise. “Why are you so cryptic?” 

“It’s part of my charm.” The smirk was back. 

“You’re not that charming,” Bucky grumbled. 

Tony sighed. “I’m not sure what all this means. I only know what I feel when you’re here. It’s a feeling I can’t explain. Why it happened, I don’t know. What it means for our world, I hope something good.”

“So I’m just supposed to trust you?” 

“Until everyone figures it out, I guess so. I hope you still trust me afterwards, too.” He sounded sincere. “I feel like we’re going to be stuck together for a while.”

Bucky did want to trust him. 

_ “Everyone?  _ It’s not just me?” 

He woke up in his room, not as frustrated as he had been for the past week. 

He wasn’t the only one. 

He wasn’t losing his mind. 

More people were having weird dreams? Did they all dream about someone else? Not all of them could be dreaming about Tony. Wouldn’t he see them? 

Maybe he wouldn’t? 

Nope, he was still frustrated. 

Finding out he wasn’t the only one having dreams about a stranger only led to more and more questions. 

He was calling out. He grabbed his phone to email his students. Good for them, class was cancelled, and he was not assigning work. Only because he didn’t want to grade it. 

He had enough of a headache. 

***** 

Over the weeks, the  _ months,  _ he got to know Tony. He eventually stopped asking him questions, realising Tony wouldn’t tell him, even if he  _ did  _ have the answers. 

They talked about everything that had to do with pop culture and music. They bonded over it. Everything from  _ I Dream of Jeannie  _ to Paul McCartney’s latest album. Neither of them had heard it yet. Bucky found himself wanting to listen to it with Tony, rewatch all the shows, and listen to all the music they’ve seen and heard before, but do it with Tony. Tony was smart. He wanted to have in-depth, hours-long conversations with him about all their favourite media. 

Half the time, when he woke up in his own bed, he’d forgotten that he was dreaming. That Tony was out of reach. He always missed him too. Whenever he saw or heard something funny, he always wanted to tell Tony about it. He could always tell him when he fell asleep, but usually, by that point, he’d forgotten what he found funny. 

One afternoon when he walked into one of his classes, all of his students were bent over their phones, discussing whatever it was they were looking at. It looked serious, judging by the looks on everyone’s faces. 

“What’s going on?” he asked. 

“They figured out the dreams,” one girl said, a smile on her face. 

He took his phone out of his pocket and pulled up a news app, then an article.

Tony wasn’t a figment of his imagination, and he was the only one dreaming of him. They were dream sharing. It was different for everyone, the location, the person. It was always one person, but they hadn’t figured out how the specific person was significant. 

Bucky couldn’t wait to fall asleep later, just to tell Tony about it. Had he seen it yet? What was he feeling? Maybe Tony would find answers to his own questions. Maybe he could meet Tony in real life? He’d read a few articles about people who dream-shared and then met later on. 

A lot of them got married, too. 

Scientists were still trying to figure it out. 

He was excited to tell Tony about all of it, but he was too excited to actually sleep. He tried everything, from drinking relaxing tea to taking melatonin to stretching and going for a late-night run. None of it worked. He couldn’t fucking sleep. He heard Brooklyn still in the early hours of the night, well, morning. He watched the sky slowly change from pitch dark to a soft glow and then to the sun shining through his windows. 

He groaned and threw the blankets off of himself. He showered and got ready for work. He had time, so he left early to go to the cafe down the street for breakfast. 

Bucky got through his first two classes before he started feeling exhausted. He grabbed tea from one of the dining halls to get him through the next class. He mostly showed them Crash Course videos and would pause them to add what they might have missed. 

Once he got to his break in the day, he grabbed something to eat and went to his office. He cancelled his office hours, asking those who needed to meet with him to email their questions. 

He fell asleep at his desk before he could eat the sandwich he got. 

Bucky practically ran to Tony, pausing next to him and out of breath. 

“We’re dream-sharing,” he rushed out, his lips stretched into a grin. “Scientists are still figuring out what it means and how it works, and  _ why,  _ but they think the Snaps did something, something that somehow connects us to each other.” 

Tony nodded, his brain clearly working. “Have they checked brain scans from people who are dream-sharing?” 

Bucky shrugged. “Not that I know of. They probably will. A lot of people met who they were dream-sharing with.” 

“Did the dream-sharing stop?” 

“I don’t think so.” 

Tony hummed. 

Bucky took a deep breath. “Most of the people who met—they, um—they got married. They said they couldn’t explain it, the feeling they had when they met. They said it was overwhelming, that something was aligning for them. They said it felt like something was missing before, something they didn’t realise they were missing.” 

Tony hesitated for a moment before he spoke. “Do you want to meet?” 

“I’d like to. I already like you,” Bucky said honestly, his cheeks feeling warm under the sun. 

Tony smiled. “I like you too.” The smile faded away. “There’s a problem, though.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I don’t know where I am. I never leave here.” 

_ “What?  _ How?” 

“I don’t know. I’m always here. I love it here. It’s calm, but I know it’s not real.” 

“You never told me your last name. I’ll try to find you,” Bucky said, determined. 

Tony smiled. “You don’t recognise me?” 

“I mean, you look familiar, but you’ve been wearing sunglasses since all this started.” 

“Huh, you’re right. Okay.” He took off his sunglasses and turned his head. 

_ “Fuck.”  _

Tony  _ Stark.  _

He ran a hand through his hair. 

“That’s not usually the reaction I get. Maybe a swoon, a sigh, enthusiastic high five—ask for an autograph, maybe an offer to—” 

“You’re in a coma, Tony,” Bucky interrupted. “Nobody knows why—” 

Tony swallowed. “I made the second snap. The one that brought everyone back.” 

It was Tony. 

Tony brought him back, brought him and his mom back. Brought everyone else back. His dad and sister had aged with time and grief. His baby sister physically looked like him, their ages almost lining up. 

“Before the snap, I knew something big  _ might  _ happen afterwards. I wasn’t sure what it was or even if it would, and I sure didn’t expect to be a part of it. I remember what I did and talking to Pepper and Rhodey after. I remember them telling me it was okay. I could rest. I closed my eyes, and then I woke up here.” He shrugged, looking around them. 

He pointed to the mansion built into the cliffside. 

“That’s my house. Well, one of them.” 

“The second Snap was over a year ago,” Bucky told him, trying to speak gently. 

Tony sucked in a sharp breath.  _ “Shit.  _ Wow. Okay.” 

He grabbed Tony’s hand without thinking, just knowing he needed to hold onto some part of him. A spark went up his arm. It was warm and pleasant. Tony’s body jolted a little. He felt it too. 

He squeezed his hand. “Do you know where they would have brought you?” 

“Tower in New York, maybe? If not there, either the cabin upstate or here, in Malibu.” 

“Do you think they’ll believe me if I say I’m dream-sharing with you?” 

Tony shrugged, a smile on his lips. “I don’t know. Please, find me, though.” 

“I will. I promise.” 

Bucky woke up in his office. 

How long had he been out? He scrambled for his phone. 

“Shit!” 

He was going to be late for his third class if he didn’t leave right away. He stood up fast, grabbing his backpack and his sandwich. Then he was out the door. 

***** 

Once he was finished with classes for the day, he immediately made his way to Stark Tower. He  _ hoped  _ Tony was there. He would find time to go to California or upstate if he had to. 

He stopped at the reception desk. 

“May I help you?” The man said. 

“I, um—” 

Who the hell was he supposed to ask for? He couldn’t ask for Tony. 

“I came to see Pepper Potts.” 

“Ms. Potts doesn’t have any meetings today.” The man barely looked up from the computer. 

“Please, I have to speak with her.” 

“Sir, if you don’t leave, I’m going to call security.” 

“You don’t understand! I need to talk to her!” 

He started to pick up the phone. “I’m calling—” 

“I’m dream-sharing with Tony!” he blurted out. 

The man paused, looked to the phone, and dialed a number. 

“Yes, I have someone here for Ms. Potts.” 

Pause. 

“I think it would be best if they explained.” 

Pause. 

“I’ll send him up.” He hung up the phone. “Take the elevator around the corner. You’ll want floor 27.” 

“Thank you.” 

He leaned his back against the railing in the elevator, wringing his hands. He wasn’t sure how it would go. Pepper Potts would either think he was insane and call security anyway. Then he’d be thrown in prison for harassment, and his parents would have to bail him out. 

Or Pepper would believe him. 

Then he’d have to see Tony motionless. 

The elevator dinged and opened up. 

Pepper was waiting for him, hands folded in front of her, her expression guarded. 

“Pepper Potts,” she held out her hand. “What can I do for you?” 

He shook her hand briefly. “James Barnes.” 

“What can I do for you?” She repeated, an eyebrow arched. 

He ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I don’t know if you’ll believe me. You’ll probably think I’m nuts, but I’m dream-sharing with Tony. I need to see him. I touched him in the last dream, and I don’t know what happened, but I  _ know  _ he felt it and—I don’t know, but I think I could help.” 

Her eyes narrowed, her expression curious. “What did you say your name was?” 

“James—well, or Bucky, whichever.” 

“Bucky?” Her eyes widened. 

“Yeah, it’s a nickname. My sister—”

“He’s been saying your name, ever since the dreams started. He’s had more brain activity. He’s  _ healing.  _ Have you spoken to him? Is he okay?” she asked, her voice concerned and worried. 

“I think he is? He’s on a beach outside his Malibu house. He says it’s calm, but he knows it’s not real.” 

She nodded, listening and understanding. “Follow me. He’s this way.” 

He followed her through the penthouse apartment, past the living room and the kitchen, and then up a set of stairs that led to a huge bedroom. There were floor to ceiling windows, a walk-in closet that he could see just by stepping foot in the room, and then the bed, facing the windows. 

Tony laid there, still and motionless, the lines around his mouth frozen, the smiles and laughs gone from his face. He was hooked up to monitors and IVs, round electrodes stuck to his temples. 

Rhodey was sitting in the chair placed next to the bed, looking up at them when they walked into the room. 

“Rhodey, this is Bucky,” Pepper introduced him. 

He held out his hand, and Rhodey took it. “It’s nice to meet you.” 

“It’s good to meet you too,” Bucky responded. “Can, um—can I sit with him?” 

“Yeah, of course. I should go run some errands anyway.” Rhodey got up, leaving the seat empty. “I’ll see you later, Pep. I’m sure I’ll see you around, Bucky.”

They all said their goodbyes, and then he was walking out of the room. 

Bucky made his way around the bed, sucking in a sharp breath. 

The veins on Tony’s right side were either bruised and broken or had turned a deep purple. Some of his skin looked burned, but not by fire. It was something else. Something cosmic. From his fingers to his hairline, it was scarred, bruised, and broken.

“It was worse,” Pepper spoke. “The damage has been healing ever since the dreams started, but it’s going slowly.” 

He fell into the chair. 

“I’ll leave you two alone. I’ll have Friday give you access to the building. You’ll be able to come and go whenever you like.” 

“Thank you, Pepper.” 

He reached out to grab Tony’s hand but thought better of it. He didn’t want to cause any more damage than had already been done. He wanted to hold him, though, be closer to him. 

Before he knew what he was doing, he was already doing it. He had slipped off his shoes and gone to the other side of the bed, laying down on his side next to Tony. Bucky grabbed his other hand, trying not to grip it too hard. 

The same warmth spread through him, just like in the dream. 

“I don’t even know what to say. I don’t even know if you can hear me. Thank you? For bringing us all back. I don’t know what my dad and sister would have done. You’re such a good man, Tony. I’m not sure if you believe it, but whenever you wake up, I am going to  _ make sure _ that you do start to believe it.” He didn’t realise he was whispering until he finished, feeling how quiet it was in the room. 

He held onto Tony’s hand. 

***** 

Every day, he went to the tower. 

He would lay next to Tony and tell him about his day, his students, coworkers with who he had good conversations with and ones that pissed him off. When he was done talking about his day, he would grade papers, sometimes reading them to Tony, especially the interesting ones. Sometimes, he would read him a book, whether it was for his class or for his own pleasure, it didn’t matter. Other days, he would just lie there with him and put on a show or a movie. 

Then he would leave and spend his night with Tony too. Bucky would usually tell him then how he was doing. He knew enough to know what Bruce would tell him before he left. Tony was actually doing well. His vitals were good, as was his brain activity, which was all they really knew. Tony said he couldn’t feel anything from the real world. 

Bucky hated leaving the tower, hated leaving Tony. It felt  _ wrong,  _ and his apartment felt empty and too quiet. The tower didn’t just have Tony. It had so many other people too. He’d only met Bruce, Pepper, Stephen, and Rhodey, but he knew the other Avengers occasionally lived there too. There was always someone sitting with Tony. 

It was the weekend, and he’d been lying with Tony for a few hours. He put on  _ Rock of Ages.  _ It was a terrible but great movie. He always hated the way the movie did the scene between Dennis and Lonny. The musical did it better. He wasn’t sure if Tony had ever seen it, but he was sure he’d love it, mostly for the music. 

He quietly sang along to every song, holding Tony’s hand against his chest. 

Once it was over, he put something else on, his eyes drooping soon after, and eventually, he fell asleep. 

He woke up on the beach, Tony’s hand still in his. 

“That’s new,” Tony said, holding up their entwined hands. 

He pulled Tony into a hug, burying his face in his neck. 

“This is also new,” Tony commented, his arms going around Bucky. 

He started to pull away, though. “Sorry, I felt like I had to. I just missed you, I guess.” 

Tony yanked him back in. “It feels nice, and I missed you too. At least you can see me anytime. I gotta wait until you show up.” 

“What’s happening? Why do I feel this way?” Bucky whispered, almost clinging to Tony. 

“Does it matter?” 

He thought about it for a moment. The way he felt in their dreams, the way he felt around Tony, even though he wasn’t awake. The way he felt in Tony’s arms like he was meant to be there. 

“No.” 

“Good. Would now be a good time to tell you that I can hear you?” Tony asked. 

He pulled away. “What do you mean? I’m right here. Of course, you can hear me.” 

“No, I mean, when you’re out there. When you’re not here.” 

“That’s embarrassing,” Bucky mumbled mostly to himself. 

Tony smiled. “I enjoy it.” 

“How long has it been going on?” 

“Not long. First thing I heard was you reading a paper about the  _ Good Place _ , and then you got upset because your student ruined it for you.” 

“They did. I was so close to finishing the episode they wrote their paper on, and then  _ bam,  _ ruined. Wait, that was over a month ago. You said not long!” 

“I’m in a permanent state of the sun going down. I don’t really have time here. Plus, time is irrelevant anyway.” 

Tony had a point. 

“You can hear me? Can you feel me? Besides in here?” Bucky asked him, feeling hopeful, but Tony started shaking his head. Bucky felt his shoulder sag. 

“No, but it’s progress that I can hear you.” Tony nudged Bucky’s shoulder with his own. 

Bucky squeezed his hand. “It is nice knowing I’m not just talking to your body. Am I the only one you can hear?” 

“So far. It must be whatever this connection is.” 

“They still haven’t figured that out yet,” Bucky commented. 

Tony shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I’m still taking you on a date someday.” 

Bucky smiled at him. “Something simple for the first date, right?” 

“No, nope. I’m taking you to Italy for three days and making a big deal out of all of it.” He looked at Bucky up and down, his eyes trailing over his body slowly and carefully. “Actually, make it a week.” 

“I don’t put out on the first date,” Bucky said, feeling a smirk spread on his lips. 

“Could you make an exception?” Tony said sweetly.

Bucky laughed. “I probably would for you anyway.” 

“Must really like me then,” Tony said like he was trying to get at something. 

“I think my feelings go beyond just liking you.” He said honestly. 

Tony squeezed his hand. “Me too.” 

*****

After Pepper found him sleeping next to Tony, she suggested he stay there, that he moved in. He had started to say it could be weird, but she insisted it wasn’t. He brought it up to Tony in their dream later, and he asked Bucky if he  _ would  _ stay. 

He also asked Bucky to move in. 

“You’re there all the time, anyway,” Tony said, not meeting his gaze like he was waiting to be rejected. 

“It’s not weird for me to move in?” Bucky asked, unsure. 

He’d have to talk to his family. 

Tony shrugged. “I want you around. I like knowing you’re lying next to me, that you’re in my space. You’re helping me too. I can feel it. This place that my mind is trapped in, feels less and less solid, like my mind is restless for reality. I think with you close, I might actually wake up. I want to come out of this. I want the chance to be with you  _ out there.”  _

“Okay,” Bucky agreed, but he still had to talk to his family. He would have to tell them eventually. 

The next day, he went to visit his parents. He needed boxes. He’d already asked his friend Sam for help moving. He was going to shit on the sidewalk when he found out who Bucky was dream-sharing with. 

To his surprise, his parents were understanding. They’d always supported him, in everything, from when he came out at sixteen to when he told them he wanted to teach for a living. He wasn’t sure how they would react to him moving in with his comatose dream-sharing partner. Part of him even thought it was strange. 

They told him if being there was helping Tony, then he should be with him as much as he could. He told them who he was dream-sharing with. His parents shared wide-eyed glances, and his sister laughed at him because she couldn’t believe it. 

He’d show her when he brought Tony home one day. 

Someday. 

Someday, he would bring Tony home. Someday, Tony would wake up with him in the morning. Someday, he would hear Tony laugh with him when he spoke of his day. Someday, they would sing 80s songs together. Someday, Tony’s presence would be bold again. 

***** 

One afternoon, when he’d fallen asleep reading to Tony again, he woke up with Wanda, the Scarlet Witch sitting by Tony’s other side. She was looking at both of them fondly and in fascination, like she was inspecting something up close for the first time. 

“Um, hey,” Bucky said groggily. 

“Can you see it?” she asked, tearing her gaze away from whatever she was looking at. 

“Uh, see what?” 

“The thread,” she said simply, reaching a hand out slowly. She was touching something he clearly could not see. 

“A thread?” he asked lamely. 

“You all have threads, connecting you to each other. You all have them now.” 

“Threads?” 

“Yes. The one between you and Tony is strong. He might wake up soon. You being so close to him, it's healing his body and his mind.” 

“What exactly are these threads?” 

“It’s like it’s connected to your bodies, but not. It’s attached to something deeper in all of you, like your—” 

“Soulmates?” he questioned aloud. 

She considered it for a second and then nodded. “Yes, I would say so.” 

“Holy shit.” 

Well, it all made sense then. Why a lot of people who dream-shared got married, but then a lot of them didn’t. Some of them just had a bond that nobody could explain, a closeness that didn’t make sense. It was a mix of platonic and romantic bonds, and some people got to  _ choose.  _

Bucky didn’t care if he and Tony were among the couples who didn’t get to choose. He probably would have fallen for Tony eventually, anyway. He just liked Tony, everything about him. He loved when he rambled about projects he worked on, about his suits, the element he discovered. Bucky just loved listening to him.

In turn, Tony would listen to Bucky ramble about books, and they both could ramble on and on about Star Wars and Doctor Who, sometimes even Star Trek. They were two different kinds of nerds but loved the same pop culture. 

It just worked for them. 

When Bucky fell asleep next to Tony that night, holding his hand, as always. 

He was sitting next to Tony on the beach, their hands still entwined together and his head resting on Tony’s shoulder. 

“I’m starting to be able to feel you,” Tony told him. 

He lifted his head to look at him. “Really?” 

There was a smile on his lips. “Yeah, I can feel the pressure.” 

“Good. That’s  _ so  _ good.” He rested his head back on Tony’s shoulder. 

Maybe Wanda was right. Maybe Tony really would wake up soon. 

Wanda. 

“Wanda—she told me there was a thread that connected all of us. Everyone who has a dream partner has one. Somehow she can see it, but it doesn’t seem like anyone else can. She um—she said it was like a soulmate thing.” He fiddled with Tony’s fingers. 

“Wow. I never thought—” He squeezed Bucky’s hand. “I never thought I would have that. When Pepper and I didn’t work out—” He shrugged. “I just didn’t think I’d ever find anyone else. That there was nobody. Now the universe has shoved us together.” 

“I’m not complaining,” Bucky commented. “From what Pepper and Rhodey have told me, you have your own over the top way of showing your feelings, and I’m  _ really _ looking forward to it.” 

“You’ll get sick of it eventually.” 

“My soulmate is stuck in a coma.” He lifted his head again. “I’m really not about to take you for granted.” 

Tony kissed his cheek. 

They sat there for a while, just watching the roll of the waves. 

*****

Bucky was teaching a class when it happened. 

When Tony finally opened his eyes. 

It was his longest class of the week since it only met once. It was three hours. They’d just finished discussing the latest book they read, _ Lady Audley’s Secret. _ It was a sensational novel written in 1862, and surprisingly, his students loved it, more than he thought they would. It was one of his favourites. He didn’t expect it to be his students’ too. They spent the first two hours of the class discussing the book. They could’ve kept going for the entire class, but he, unfortunately, had to give them a quiz. 

He sent them on a ten-minute break, so they could go get water, use the bathroom—do whatever they needed to. He sat at the desk and pulled out his phone, like a number of his students did. 

Bucky was surprised to see Pepper had called him, left voicemails and text messages. 

His heart started racing, thinking something could’ve happened to Tony like he regressed. 

A shaky hand brought the phone to his ear to listen to the voicemails. 

_ “Bucky—I know you’re in a class right now, but you need to come to the tower as soon as you get this.”  _

_ “Bucky, it’s Pepper again. We need you at the tower.”  _

_ “Call me as soon as you get this. It’s Tony.”  _

_ “Bucky, Tony’s awake.”  _

He almost dropped his phone. 

Tony—he was finally awake. 

Bucky stood up, collecting his things and packing them up in his bag. His students started filling back in. He told them he was ending class early, and they were free to go. They’d do the quiz next time. He texted her that he was on his way. 

*****

Once he was off the elevator, he stopped his rush to get to Tony, a thought entering his head. 

What if Tony didn’t remember him? He had been in a coma the entire time they’d known each other. What if he didn’t carry into Tony’s awake consciousness? 

The thought left his mind as soon as he heard someone— _ Tony _ shouting. 

“Let me go! I have to talk to Bucky! Steve, I will light your suit on fire if you don’t let me go!”

“Thor, can I have some help?!” he heard Steve say. 

“Tony, relax. He’s on his way,” he heard Pepper tell him as he got closer to Tony’s bedroom. 

“I want to see him now!” 

When he walked into the room, he saw Steve holding Tony’s shoulders down, and Thor’s hammer was resting on his stomach. Tony was struggling against them, as much as he could, anyway. He was weakly jerking his body, trying to shake them off, but it wasn’t working in his favour, his muscles probably too weak. 

“Maybe the hammer is a little unnecessary?” he said, getting all of their attention. 

Everyone turned to look at him, but he only looked at Tony, his bright brown eyes on him and a smile spreading on his lips. 

“Can I be alone with my person, please?” Tony asked. “Thor, Steve, please get your hammer off of me.” 

Steve released him, taking the hammer with him, and then everyone followed him out. 

Bucky put his bag on the floor, by the nightstand on what became his side of the bed. 

Tony was still hooked up to machines and a feeding tube in his stomach, but hopefully soon, he’d be out of bed, not hooked up to machines to keep him alive and to monitor him. He slipped his shoes off and climbed into bed with Tony. 

“It’s so good to see you,” Bucky rushed out, happy that Tony was awake next to him. 

“It’s good to not see you on that damn beach. It was getting repetitive and obnoxious,” Tony told him. “We are  _ not  _ getting married on a beach.”

He chuckled. “We haven’t even had our first date.” 

“Us sharing dreams for months isn’t enough for you?” 

Bucky hummed. “I thought you wanted to take me on a week-long vacation to wine and dine me.” 

“Oh, you’re on board now?” 

“Maybe after you’ve healed more.” 

_ “Ugh, _ stupid muscles. If I could function more, I totally could have kicked Steve’s spangled ass.” 

He rested a hand on Tony’s cheek. “Of course you could have.” 

Tony leaned into his touch. “Don’t patronize me.” 

Bucky leaned in to place a lingering kiss on his cheek. 

“That feels good,” Tony whispered to him. “It’s nice to  _ actually  _ feel you. I’m going to touch the hell out of you when I can.”

Bucky shrugged. “Leave the touching to me then.” 

“Only for now, right?” 

“Yeah.” Bucky chuckled. 

“Good because after therapy, I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off of you.” 

“I’m holding you to that.” 

“Awesome. Now please come closer,” Tony told him. 

Bucky moved closer and rested his head on Tony’s shoulder. 

“You won’t break me, you know,” Tony pointed out. 

“I know. I just don’t want to jostle any of the wires or tubes,” Bucky said, moving to rest his head on his chest, careful of all the medical equipment. 

“They won’t contain me forever.” 

  
  



End file.
